May 1-2, 2019 Tornado Outbreak of The Dakotas
Sypnosis On June 30, the Storm Prediction Center issued a Day 2 Enhanced Risk for parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. On the morning of May 1, it was upgraded to a Moderate Risk, including a 15% hatched area for tornadoes in Southeastern North Dakota, Northeastern South Dakota, and extreme Western Minnesota. During the early afternoon hours of May 1, two massive Supercell thunderstorms formed near Eagle Butte, South Dakota and were soon Tornado-Warned. Notable Tornadoes (May 1st) May 1st was the quieter day for tornadic activity, but many long tracked and violent twisters touched down despite this. The same areas would be hit with even more severe weather the next day. Many more injuries would also ocuur with the stronger storms on May 2nd. The Fisher, Minnesota tornado was the highlight of May 1, being the most catastrophic, costly, and most powerful tornado of the day. Fisher would finally be completely rebuilt in 2027 on October 13. The eight year anniversary of the tornado was celebrated that day, even though the'' exact date would have been May 1, 2027. Fargo took even longer to rebuild after the monstrous EF3 hit downtown, because it is a much larger city with more buildings, neighborhoods, etc. Fargo was totally rebuilt on August 23, 2030. Gettysburg, however, was the longest project, at 13 years of rebuilding. On December 25, 2032, Gettysburg was finally the town it used to be. This outbreak was perhaps the most widely known since the 2011 Super Outbreak, even though it was substantially smaller. 26 tornadoes were reported on May 1, however 31 were confirmed. Eagle Butte, South Dakota The larger Supercell produced the first tornado of the outbreak, a large EF2 cone tornado that severely damaged the farmstead that it is nearing in the photograph on the right. It swept away a barn and a chicken coop and lifted the roof off of a farmhouse. Very minor ground-scouring occurred. 2 injuries. '''Gettysburg, South Dakota' The smaller Supercell, still tornado-warned, moved Southeast toward Gettysburg from Eagle Butte and produced a handful of brief EF1's before dropping a massive, mile wide EF4 in the town of Gettysburg. Neighborhoods were almost completely leveled and it completely destroyed the Gettysburg Collision Center. 5 injuries occurred here and debris was thrown for'' miles''. The strongest tornado in South Dakota since June 18, 2014 near Alpena, South Dakota. 5 injuries. Fisher, Minnesota A very small but tornadic Supercell formed in Fargo, North Dakota and moved North at 70 mph towards Fisher while strengthening rapidly. It produced a record hailstone in Climax, Minnesota (or 21.3 miles south of Fisher) at 9.5 inches in diameter, breaking the previous record of 8.1 inches in Vivian, South Dakota. As the storm reached Fisher, it finally dropped a long-tracked, massive, incredibly violent tornado near the heart of town. The Supercell had been traveling for around 80 miles now. The tornado fluctuated violently from an EF1 to an EF5. A Tornado Emergency was declared for Fisher, and it just about wiped the town off of the map. Fisher High School was absolutely demolished. 3 students were wounded as the tornado hit the school at EF5 intensity. The United Postal Service building was leveled and swept away. Cars were thrown for hundreds ''upon hundreds'' of yards.The tornado then exited Fisher and weakened to an EF2 before causing brief EF4 damage to a small farmhouse, then it finally roped out and dissipated photogenically. It was the strongest tornado in Minnesota history since the Chandler tornado of June 16, 1992. 31 injuries. The ground was scoured up to 3 feet deep with the extreme, 240 mph wind speeds with this massive tornado. (I used a photograph of the Chandler tornado on purpose!) Fargo, North Dakota Yet'' another Tornadic Supercell formed in Fargo, North Dakota, this time dropping a long tracked and *''very* large tornado in Fargo. It was 2.2 miles wide and severely damaged 70% of the town. The West Acres Regional Shopping Center took a direct hit and had its entire roof lifted off of its walls and the rest was almost completely obliterated. Damage here was originally rated EF5; rating disputed due to structural flaws. Winds were recorded at 205 mph in an open field where no structural damage occurred. 23 injuries, all at the West Acres Regional Shopping Center. Yankton, South Dakota An extremely powerful Supercell formed on the Nebraska-South Dakota border ahead of a Squall Line. It tracked Northwest towards Yankton and produced a small rope tornado. It slowly intensified to a low-end EF2. As it neared Yankton, it crossed the Missouri River and hit a fishing boat where a couple was spending the evening. The winds on the outer bands of the tornado lifted the boat into the air and sent the husband and his wife soaring through the air. The husband was knocked unconscious by a small piece of the boat and his wife, who was unharmed, could swim well, and noticed that her husband was drowning, acted quickly and dragged him to shore. He suffered a minor head injury. As the large tornado moved into Yankton, it leveled the Dakota Territorial Capitol Building at High-End EF4 intensity. 16 people were injured at this location. As it continued on and weakened to Mid-Range EF3 intensity, it hit the Riverfront Hotel and blew out all of the windows, additionally lifting the entire roof off of the building. 5 people were wounded here. It re-intensified to and EF4 and leveled neighborhoods on Broadway Ave. It continued towards the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Fortunately, it weakened drastically to an EF0 before dissipating just outside of the church. 22 injuries occurred. Bismark, North Dakota Late at night, a powerful Supercell developed in Biskmark and began producing golf ball-size hail and 90 mph winds, prompting a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. A large and violent Multiple-Vortex tornado then touched down in the North side of town. No warning sirens were sounded. It moved through the Pebble Creek Golf Course and heavily scoured the ground at EF3 intensity. Continuing onto East Century Avenue, it gained Low-End EF4 intensity and catastrophically damaged homes at this location.The National Weather Service at last issued a Tornado Warning, followed by a Tornado Emergency. It continued towards the Holiday Stationstores gas station and leveled the entire structure, causing a minor gas leak as well. It finally dissipated as the last EF4 tornado of May 1. 67 injuries. Notable Tornadoes (May 2nd) May 2nd exploded with tornadic activity after a dual High risk was issued. The 1st High Risk area was in Central North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. High Risk area #2 was in East-Central South Dakota and South-Southwestern Minnesota. North Sioux City, South Dakota A small Supercell with weak rotation developed in Sioux City, Iowa and traveled Northwest towards North Sioux City, South Dakota and produced a photogenic EF1 tornado that significantly damaged the Adams Homestead & State Nature Preserve and the surrounding playground. 1 minor injury. Twin Cities (Saint Paul & Minneapolis), Minnesota A tornado formed in West Saint Paul and began producing minimal damage. It then grew substantially in strength from an EF0 to an EF3. It caused major damage on Shepard Road and to the Schneider Carpet One Floor & Home. It traveled through Saint Paul, fluctuating between a strong and weak tornado. It then crossed into Minneapolis and crossed Highway 55 towards the Best Western Plus Normandy Inn & Suites. The building was hit at High-End EF3 intensity and it was largely destroyed, causing 17 injuries. It dissipated in Downtown West at EF0 intensity. A Tornado Emergency had been declared for both cities by this time. 17 injuries occurred with this powerful and very costly tornado in the Twin Cities. Watford City, North Dakota An incredibly violent, long-tracked, slow moving, and catastrophic nighttime wedge tornado hit Watford City, North Dakota and was responsible for 156 injuries and $900,000.00 dollars in damages. It leveled many subdivisions and swept away many businesses in town. It began at EF1 intensity and hit the Outsiders Bar & Grill, ripping part of the roof off and injuring 2 people. It continued Northeast and intensified dramatically to an EF4. It severely damaged the Roosevelt Inn & Suites, injuring 43 people. Continuing on, it hit the Legendary Smiles at EF5 intensity. Fortunately, there were no occupants at the time. It continued through the entire city, damaging and sweeping away homes and businesses in its wake and causing 111 more injuries. As it hit the Main Stay Suites Event Center at the very edge of town at EF2 intensity, it ''finally ''died out. It had now traveled around 5 miles. (Watford City is very small). Aftermath This tornado outbreak had a relatively small size, but was ''incredibly ''costly and devastating, as some tornado outbreaks are. The most costly tornado was the Twin Cities EF3, due to it being very intense and hitting populated areas, at $1 billion dollars. Miraculously, no deaths occurred in the whole outbreak, however there were a whopping 324 injuries.